The St. Louis City Branch NAACP, Black Tech Midwest, and Tech Positive Innovations Global are hosting a joint press conference to launch the Afro AI Summit: From Nairobi to St. Louis and release the Field & Cloud Audit of the AI Black Workforce Gap. The event reframes artificial intelligence as a critical civil rights and economic equity issue, connecting community talent pipelines from Kenya directly to local opportunities for Black innovators and workers in St. Louis.
ST. LOUIS, MO — In a major push to position Black tech talent, founders, and workers at the center of the global technology economy, the St. Louis City Branch NAACP, Black Tech Midwest, and Tech Positive Innovations Global have announced a joint press conference.
The event will officially launch the Afro AI Summit: From Nairobi to St. Louis and release the highly anticipated headline findings of the Field & Cloud Audit of the AI Black Workforce Gap.
Media Advisory & Press Conference Details
- Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
- Time: 10:00 AM
- Location: St. Louis City Branch NAACP Headquarters
- 4811 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108
- Media Contact: Adolphus M. Pruitt II, President (314-479-4427)
3 Core Pillars of the Press Conference
The briefing will explicitly detail how organizers plan to bridge regional disparities and tap into international tech ecosystems:
- Launching the Afro AI Summit: Outlining the summit’s core goals to secure economic power, safeguard civil rights, and drive systemic innovation for Black communities in the age of artificial intelligence.
- Releasing the AI Black Workforce Audit: Highlighting the critical disparities, immediate opportunities, and actionable next steps for policy and corporate practice uncovered in the Field & Cloud Audit.
- Connecting Nairobi to St. Louis: Sharing vital blueprints learned from Nairobi and Hackhouse Africa. Organizers will share how African AI ecosystems successfully build community-based talent pipelines, and what those lessons mean practically for Black workers, founders, and students in St. Louis.
Why This Matters: AI as an Economic Power Story
The Afro AI Summit is built on a clear premise: AI is not just a technology story; it is a civil rights and economic power story.
As machine learning and automation rapidly reshape global industries, community leaders argue that Black communities must move beyond simple technology adoption toward true agency, ownership, and equity. This initiative spotlights St. Louis’s local tech brilliance while actively linking it to global engines of innovation like Kenya’s booming tech sector.
“Your coverage and presence will help ensure that these systemic issues are visible to the broader public and that community voices are actively part of shaping the future of AI in our region,” said Adolphus M. Pruitt II, President of the St. Louis City Branch NAACP.
About the St. Louis City Branch NAACP
Founded in 1914, the St. Louis City Branch NAACP has spent over 110 years fighting for civil rights, justice, and equality in the St. Louis metropolitan region. Under the leadership of President Adolphus M. Pruitt II, who has championed community advancement for the past 16 years, the branch works tirelessly to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality.
By modernizing its civil rights advocacy to include digital equity, the St. Louis NAACP continues its legacy of addressing contemporary challenges—ensuring that Black Missourians are prepared for, and protected within, the rapidly evolving AI-driven workforce.
Media RSVP & Inquiries
Journalists, photojournalists, and digital creators are encouraged to attend. For advanced copies of the audit summaries or to schedule interviews with the organizers, please contact the St. Louis City Branch NAACP at 314-479-4427.
#AfroAISummit #BlackInAI #TechEquity
